I had this on tap at dld. Thanks to Mario for getting in for us all... The look is nothing of note, black nice tan head...This beer is all about the aroma and the taste. Tons of awesome vanilla on the nose a little light coffee. The taste just brings the vanilla to the whole new level. Super sweet tons of awesome vanilla that is really nicely balanced. This is the best vanilla Iíve ever had. Only wish I could have more of this.

holy, crap! just found my notes on this one scratched on the back cover of my notebook from DLD í09 that I havenít seen in almost 2 years, haha. and wow were my notes profound..."fuck! itís like regular Dark Lord dipped in diabetes! awesome! just...too...sweet! that about sums it up, i think. great in very, very small amounts.

6.3oz. handbottle with another huge thanks to StFun! Pours blacks with a slight center forming head of loose and large bubbles and settles to a thin ring. Aroma is not quite and complex or intense as the OADL, but very rich and lovely with vanilla bean, chocolate, oak, caramel and some dried dark fruits. Flavor is definitely on the sweeter side, with more rich vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, dried dark fruits, caramel and oak. Toes the line nicely between sweet and a sticky mess. Minimal carbonation with a nice smooth and almost syrupy mouthfeel. Another nice dessert beer sipper, and great stuff but would take the OADL over this any day. Thanks again Josh. much appreciated!

Nip hand bottle, courtesy a great RB trading friend. 2009 vintage released at 2010 DLD. This one pours an impenetrable black body with hints of mahogany at the edges and topped by as minimal head of film. The dense, oily body leaves sheeting stains on the glass. It looks like it means business. The nose is super rich and decadently sweet, more so than anything else I have smelled in a beer. Rich chocolate cake, syrup, vanilla bean, and toasted marshmallows come across, smooth, sweet, and just like a nice dessert. The bourbon and oak barely come through as the intense vanilla dominates everything. The flavors are just as huge with rich, dark chocolate and toasted vanilla marshmallows come across in a símores like fashion. The barrel comes through a bit more with soft whiskey and oak adding depth, but very little roast to balance out the intense sweetness from the chocolate and vanilla. The mouthfeel is thick, oily, and round and coats everything inside the mouth. Minimal carbonation as expected and a lingering toasted vanilla finish. Really decadent and great tasting beer in smaller doses. The nip bottle was more than enough for 2 of us. Still a great beer, and one that I am really glad to have tried.

UPDATED: AUG 6, 2012 Had on tap at Dark Lord Day 2009.
A: Very dark, nearing black, with a small dark tan head.
S: Very similar to regular Dark Lord, but not with an overpowering--in a very, very good way--scent of vanilla.
T: Vanilla, vanilla, vanilla. Wow. Tastes of vanilla cake, brown sugar, hints of chocolate. Dark malts galore as hints of coffee and sweetness make their way through.
M: Unbelievably smooth. Little carbonation and sublimely creamy. Again, only modest hints of the presumably-high abv.
D: Simply put, this is by far the best damn beer that I have ever had. Hats off to Three Floyds for taking one of the best beers in the world and making it exponentially better.
Serving type: on-tap
Reviewed on: 04-28-2009

UPDATED: SEP 14, 2010 (Bottle, Thanks StFun!) Pours thick and black with almost no head, just some dark brown bubbles. The aroma holds sweet and yummy vanilla up front. Chocolate, molasses, fudge, subtle dark fruits like figs and prunes, light sweet liquorice, fresh and sticky pipe-tobacco and mild oak wood. Reminds me bit of chocolate and vanilla sponge cake or vanilla pudding. Light alcohol warmth in both the aroma and flavour. The flavour is medium sweet and medium bitter. Tones of chocolate (both milk and bitter dark), vanilla, marshmallows, cream, dark fruits and molasses. The barrel and hops makes the finish harsh but at the same time saves it from being cloying. The mouthfeel is thick, oily and smooth with almost no carbonation. Resinous, earthy and almost herbal afterbitterness. Lingering and numbing finish. Full bodied.

Handbottle, courtesy juiceisloose. 2009 brew released in 2010. As expected, the pour yields an abyss-like black body with glints of mahogany at the outer edges. Though thereís very little head, the dense, oily liquid leaves a thick, lingering staining effect on the glass. It looks simply menacing. The nose is as rich and decadent as anything Iíve ever encountered in my culinary experience. Lush notes of chocolate syrup, vanilla sponge cake, toasted marshmallows, and crŤme brŻlťe are sweet, smooth, and very dessert-like. The bourbon is hardly detectable, having seemingly been drowned out by the intense vanilla. Flavors are just as over-the-top. Insanely sweet chocolate and vanilla-marshmallow dominate, with virtually none of the Dark Lord roast showing. The barrel comes through a little more than it does on the nose, but remains tertiary to the chocolate and sweet, scorched sugars. In typical fashion, the mouthfeel is round, oily, and viscous, coating the mouth fully and leaving behind a lip smacking film. Overall, this beer is tasty as hell.....in small doses.....when youíre in the mood for dessert. Hedonistically, it ranks way up there. However, itís not something Iíd ever contemplate drinking more than a few ounces of. Ahhhh....the great conundrum of rating beer.

Thanks to gunhaver for the share. This is more of what I expect from a Dark Lord beer! Pours dark lord brown with a thin tan head. Nose is lots of vanilla. Vanilla extract, vanilla beans, vanilla icing, brownie mix, fudge, chocolate syrup, booze, as well as hershey bar and creme brulee. Flavor is similar manners of vanilla: icing, extract, sugar, chocolate, some booze, and lingering chocolate vanilla into the finish. This beer is astounding. Sticky flavors, but very sweet and pretty balanced. Mouthfeel is a bit thin, but I will take it for what the beer contains and the yellow stains on my glass.

DLD í08. Black body with a tiny tan head. Big sweet chocolate and vanilla nose, lots of molasses as well to mix with the boozyness. Very, very sweet, cloyingly so, moderately bitter, lots of chocolate, prune juice, vanilla and molasses. Full body is chewy and sticky, finish is warm. Couldnít finish this stuff.

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